HOLYOKE — WestMass ElderCare is celebrating 50 years as an organization and are geared up for a Nov. 20 celebration at the Castle of Knights in Chicopee.
On Wednesday Nov. 20 From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the community is invited to join the celebration marking WMEC’s five decades of dedicated service to older adults, individuals with disabilities and caregivers in the region.
WMEC is an area agency on aging and aging services access point that provides various services, including home care, nutrition and housing supports, to assist older adults, individuals with disabilities and their care givers in living independently. They serve the communities of Holyoke, Chicopee, South Hadley, Granby, Ludlow, Belchertown and Ware.
WMEC Executive Director Roseann Martoccia said the organization’s roots instilled 50 years ago are still strongly present today. She added WMEC was founded following the passage of Medicare understanding the demographics of the country would be pointing in another direction going forward.
“Now we have more than 10,000 people a day turning 65. You can see the impact on workforce and people leaving because they are retiring. There’s a younger demographic but not to replace the numbers that were born from the baby boomers,” Martoccia said. “We still hold that responsibility obligation. It’s real and its our roots and we continue to serve older adults, caregivers, support their families. Our mission is the same.”
Martoccia said meeting people where they are and assisting their lives allows people to remain where they are in their community and fosters independence for them. She mentioned their Meals on Wheels programming as one example of the programming the nonprofit offers to meet their population served where they’re at.
“People want to be at home,” Martoccia added. “Our job is to honor that and respect that and help make that happen.”
Highlighting the meeting is keynote speaker Alrie McNiff Daniles, former Communications Director of Point32Health and certified Reframing Aging trainer. Daniels will speak on the topic of “Changing the Conversation About Aging,” focusing on how society can shift its perspectives on aging to better reflect the strength, resilience and contributions of older adults.
Also featured will be Assistant Secretary of the Executive Office of Elder Affairs Jodi Breidel will deliver the events opening remarks. The event will serve as a celebration of WMEC’s accomplishments over the last half century and focus on the direction going into the future.
For the first time WMEC will present its Caregiver Champion and Community Champion Awards, honoring those whose compassion, dedication and care make an extraordinary impact in our community.
The event will also unveil the results of WMEC’s brand refresh, a new chapter for the organization as it prepares to continue its mission of empowering individuals to live with independence and dignity for the next 50 years.
“We kind of embarked on an exploration of what people know about us and we are refreshing our brand and messaging and thought that this 50th anniversary was a great opportunity to do that, and using this as an opportunity to connect with our community and the people that know us well,” Martoccia said.
Tickets are $40 and the public is invited to celebrate this milestone and help WMEC launch its next era of service.
“We hope it continues to work well the next 50 years,” Martoccia said.
